Bound by lies, Trapped by Desire - Chapter 56: Chapter 56

Elena’s POV:
The second we stepped onto campus, the stares began. Whispers floated through the air like gnats, buzzing around my head, a persistent, inescapable noise. It wasn’t hard to see why.
Nikolai Vetrov, Alderidge’s most notorious billionaire, walked two steps behind me, carrying my laptop bag like some kind of personal assistant. Meanwhile, I walked forward awkwardly, my arms bandaged and stiff at my sides, trying not to look at anyone.
But they were all looking at me.
I swallowed hard, my cheeks burning. Why the hell did I think bringing Nikolai was a good idea? I could’ve just asked a classmate. Even if there was basically no one I’d willingly want to ask after the fiasco with Lazar. Because people had started avoiding me like the plague.
Not that it was any better before, when I was with Dmitri. However, I knew very well that the reason people tended to avoid me wasn’t because of me dating rich guys—though that played a huge part—it was also a mixture of my mixed race and poverty. After all, in a school filled with privileged kids, the underprivileged were always singled out and avoided.
Nonetheless, I’d been too busy staring at his biceps this morning, too busy letting myself get distracted by the way he looked in that T-shirt and jeans, too busy feeling... grateful that he offered. And now, here we were.
Walking through campus, feeling like a goddamn circus act.
I kept my eyes forward, face set, ignoring the whispers, the glances, the phone cameras subtly raised as we passed. Was it more humiliating that I couldn’t even carry my own bag or that Nikolai Vetrov was carrying it for me?
“What?” he said, his voice low, a hint of a smirk playing at his lips. “Regretting bringing me along?”
“Not at all,” I muttered, forcing my eyes straight ahead. “I love being the center of attention.”
He chuckled, and I clenched my fists beneath the bandages. Why did his laugh have to sound so good?
We turned a corner, and there he was – Professor Vasily. Standing by the entrance of the lecture hall, clipboard in hand, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. The second he spotted me, his brows furrowed, lips tightening.
“Elena,” he said, his eyes drifting to my bandaged hands. “What happened?”
“Car accident,” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice steady. “I... I can’t use my hands. I was hoping to get some help for the presentation today.”
His frown deepened, but before he could respond negatively, his eyes shifted – finally noticing the man standing behind me.
Nikolai stepped forward, extending a hand. “Professor Vasily.”
The professor’s eyes widened comically. “M-Mr. Vetrov. I... I didn’t know you were... here.”
Nikolai smiled, polite but cool. “I’m here to help Elena with her presentation. Just a little support.”
The professor blinked rapidly, the color draining from his face. “Oh, yes, of course. Of course. Had I known, we could have postponed. I mean, I had no idea she was... injured.”
Liar. I had already sent an email to the professor asking for a little leeway. Nikolai knew that as well.
Nikolai’s jaw tightened, but his smile remained in place. “It’s alright. My wife was really looking forward to this presentation. I’m actually glad I get to see her in her element.”
He looked at me then. Looked at me in a way that made my throat close up, my heart stutter. Like he was actually proud of me. Like he actually believed in me. Like he was seeing me.
I tore my eyes away, heat rushing to my cheeks. What the hell was that?
The professor nodded rapidly, clearing his throat. “Right. Well, the class starts in about thirty minutes. You’re welcome to wait inside or... wherever.”
“Thank you,” Nikolai said smoothly, but he didn’t move. Just stood there, calm and composed, like he owned the whole damn campus. And the professor, looking two seconds away from fainting, just nodded again and hurried off inside.
I exhaled, the tension releasing from my shoulders. God. This was going to be a long day.
“Where to?” Nikolai asked, leaning in close, his breath warm against my ear. “We’ve got some time.”
“The cafeteria,” I said, swallowing. “I—well you, need to do some finishing touches.”
He nodded, and we made our way there. The cafeteria was mostly empty – a few students huddled in the corner, some scrolling through their phones, a couple making out by the vending machines. I tried to ignore the stares. Just keep walking.
We took a table in the back corner, and Nikolai set my bag down before pulling out a chair for me. I sat down, trying to calm my racing heart as he took the seat next to me, close enough that our knees brushed under the table.
“So,” he said, pulling the laptop out of the bag and flipping it open. “What now?”
“Go to the bookmarks,” I said, voice tight. “There’s a Canva link there. Click it.”
He did as I said, his brows knitting together as the slides with diagrams loaded on the screen. My heart hammered in my chest as he scrolled through the slides, his expression growing more and more serious. Finally, he looked up, eyes narrowed.
“You... actually designed this?” he asked, voice low.
I bit my bottom lip, nodding. “Yeah. It’s a safety-focused vehicle. My dream car, actually. I know people think that just because I’m into cars, I’d want to design something flashy and fast, but... I don’t. I want it to be safe. Accessible, even for the disabled.”
I didn’t know why I was saying all this. Maybe it was the look in his eyes. Maybe it was because he was actually listening. But once I started, I couldn’t stop.
“When I was a kid, right after the adoption,” I said, voice softening, “mom took me to this play area. But all I remember was the car ride there. It was old, but it had AC and music, and it felt like... home. My mom kept looking back at me, smiling, answering all my dumb questions. I don’t even remember the play area. Just that car ride. Where an adult, for the first time ever gave me and only me attention. Without getting upset or mad.”
When I finally stopped, Nikolai was just... staring. His eyes were soft, his mouth slightly open, like he was seeing me for the first time. I swallowed, nerves knotting in my stomach.
“What?” I asked.
He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “Nothing. It’s just... nice. Hearing you talk about something you love.”
My chest squeezed. The warmth in his eyes was too much. Too intense. I looked away, clearing my throat. “Anyway. That’s it. That’s the presentation.”
“You know,” he said, leaning back in the chair, arms crossed over his chest, “it feels wrong to present something like this in a university class. It’s too good. The details, the concepts... they’re incredible.”
My heart did a stupid little flip. “You really think so?”
He nodded, his expression serious now. “Yeah. I do.”
I swallowed, feeling a blush creep up my neck. I opened my mouth to say that we should get back to work, but the words caught in my throat. Instead, I asked, “What about you? Any favorite memories?”
The question was innocent enough. But the air shifted, the tension tightening like a rope pulled too tight. Nikolai’s smile faltered, and for a second, his eyes went dark. Hard.
He looked away, jaw clenching.
And in that moment, I knew.
I shouldn’t have asked.